Meyer Lemon Upside Down Polenta Cake

Meyer Lemon Upside Down Polenta Cake

Recipe by: Justin Burke-Samson

Meyer Lemon Layer

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 dark brown sugar

3 Meyer lemons

Polenta Cake

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

Zest of 2 Meyer lemons

2 eggs

1 cup cake flour

3/4 cups cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powders

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Freshly whipped unsweetened cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Using a 9-inch round cake pan, spray with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with a 9-inch parchment paper circle. Once pan is lined and parchment circle is pressed flat (no bubbles) spray parchment circle with cooking spray. Set aside until ready to use.

Using a mandolin slicer, thinly slice 3 lemons crosswise. Discard ends and remove seeds from slices. Set aside.

Using a small saucepan over medium heat, bring ¼ cup of butter and dark brown sugar to a boil. Whisking constantly until smooth, boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into pan, spreading evenly.

Taking the sliced lemons, place one lemon wheel (the best looking one) in the center of the butter/sugar mixture. Overlapping each slice by half, arrange the remaining lemon wheels in a circle until bottom of pan if full. Set pan aside.

Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, add ½ cup butter, sugar, and lemon zest to the bowl. On medium speed blend ingredients, once blended increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy - about 3-5 minutes. Stop mixer and scrape sides. On medium speed slowly add eggs, one at a time, increase speed to high and beat until fully incorporates - about 1-2 minutes.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In another separate bowl, combine sour cream and vanilla.

Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend on slow, add half of the sour cream mixture and blend. Stop mixer, scrape down sides. Add remaining flour mixture, blend on slow, add remaining sour cream mixture and blend until almost fully combined. Remove bowl from mixer and fold the batter with a spatula until fully incorporated.

Pour batter into pan, over the lemons, spread evenly.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and cake springs back in the center when lightly touched. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for an 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges to release the cake from the pan, invert cake on the preferred serving plate - remove parchment.

Serve with freshly whipped unsweetened cream.